ATLANTA >> A number of Dodgers pitchers follow the HBO series “Game of Thrones.” That’s good — it might prepare them for the cutthroat battle for territory ahead.

The trade-deadline additions of Yu Darvish, Tony Watson and Tony Cingrani assure that the Dodgers’ most intense competition over the next two months will be internal, not from the rest of the National League.

Right-hander Kenta Maeda has already spent most of this season like a man assigned to the middle seat on an airplane, fighting for an arm rest. He made his case for space Tuesday with seven scoreless innings against the Atlanta Braves as the Dodgers won again, 3-2.

The win extends the Dodgers’ latest win streak to nine games — five of them have been one-run decisions, including the past three. They have won 20 of their past 22 games with the only two losses coming at the hands of the Braves at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers have gone 39-6 over their past 45 games, the best 45-game stretch in franchise history and the best in the majors since the New York Yankees also went 39-6 over a run in midseason of 1941.

“Yes, I do feel the pressure. That’s the reality right now. We have a lot of really good pitchers who are producing,” Maeda said through his interpreter of the jockeying for position in the back of the Dodgers rotation.

“You know, there’s only a limited amount of spots. It’s not in my power to influence that. What I try to do is make sure I produce every time I get the opportunity to do so.”

He did that Tuesday by taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning and allowing just two singles in his seven innings. Over his past seven starts, Maeda has posted a 2.09 ERA with a 1.06 WHIP. The Dodgers have won six of the seven starts.

But Hyun-Jin Ryu also pitched seven scoreless innings against the Giants on Sunday. Brock Stewart hasn’t given up an earned run in 16 2/3 innings this season. And Brandon McCarthy idles on the DL for now.

The Dodgers might be a lock for the postseason. None of them is.

“They’re making our decisions as an organization, as a ballclub much more difficult — which is a good thing,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “That’s what we expect from high-caliber starting pitching. And all throughout our roster, I think competition is a good thing. It brings out the best in guys.”

The Dodgers offense backed Maeda with single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings.

Doubles by Yasiel Puig and Chris Taylor produced the first run. Cody Bellinger led off the fourth with his 29th home run of the season, moving him one closer to Mike Piazza’s franchise record for home runs by a rookie (35). And Puig manufactured a run in the fifth by leading off with a single, moving to second on a bunt by Maeda then scoring on a steal of third and wild throw by Braves catcher Tyler Flowers.

“I think Yasiel thought he was invisible,” Roberts said. “He had a bad jump. But somehow Flowers threw it into left field.”

That run proved decisive when Josh Ravin gave up a two-run home run to Johan Camargo in the eighth inning — a blunder that allowed Roberts to test one of his new bullpen options.

Watson became the first of the Dodgers’ three trade-deadline acquisitions to make his debut when he replaced Ravin. Watson retired the side, stranding the tying run at third base when he got left-handed Freddie Freeman on a soft liner to third baseman Justin Turner.

“He was good,” Roberts said. “I wanted to see him face Freeman there. That’s why we got him. For him to execute a fastball in on the hands was good to see.”

Bill Plunkett has covered everything from rodeo to Super Bowls to boxing (yeah, I was there the night Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear off) during a career that started far too long ago to mention and eventually brought him to the OC some time last century (1999 actually). He has been covering Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register since 2003, spending time on both the Angels and Dodgers beats.